ELIZABETH

An interesting communication from one noted twentieth-century English-language poet to another, and of additional significance as a V-Letter written in the year of publication of Shapiro's first successful collection, the Pulitzer Prize winning 'V-Letter and Other Poems' (1944). (See Diederik Oostdijk, 'The Wartime Success of Karl Shapiro's V-Letter' (2006).) The present item is a V-Mail [Victory Mail] letter: a 13.5 x 11 cm photograph print of an autograph letter bearing the censor's stamp.

The four items in good condition, lightly aged, with stubs from mounts still adhering. The first three are bifoliums, carrying seals in red wax (that to the third letter broken). The second letter is addressed to her at Grosvenor Square; the third and fourth to her at Upper Brook Street. ONE: No place or date. [London, on paper with watermark of 'J GREEN & SON | 1824'.] 1p, 12mo.

1p., 16mo. With mourning border. Aged and worn, with tear to one corner and glue stains on reverse. Signed 'Caroline Norton'. The recipient is not identified. The letter begins: 'Dear Sir | The Prince Schomberg having told me of some curious experiments in animal magnetism which you would make this evg. I called to ask permission to witness them -'. She will 'retract' her 'petition' if he has 'no other ladies present – or if the persons on whom the experiments are made, only speak German', as she 'will not be able to understand enough of what passes'.

Four good letters, in which the author's love for his wife and grief at her death are apparent. Littleton Powys was the second-eldest of eleven, his siblings including writers John Cowper Powys, T. F. Powys and Llewelyn Powys, architect A. R. Powys, artist Gertrude Powys, lacemaker Marian Powys, and poet and novelist Philippa Powys. His autobiography 'The Joy of it' was published in 1937, with the sequel 'Still the Joy of it' appearing in 1956. The four letters are in good condition, lightly aged. They total 12pp., 12mo.

Littleton Powys was the second-eldest of eleven, his siblings including writers John Cowper Powys, T. F. Powys and Llewelyn Powys, architect A. R. Powys, artist Gertrude Powys, lacemaker Marian Powys, and poet and novelist Philippa Powys. His autobiography 'The Joy of it' was published in 1937, with the sequel 'Still the Joy of it' appearing in 1956. The three letters are in good condition, lightly aged. They total 8pp., 12mo. The main topic is the correspondence between the recipient Brooks and Powys's wife Elizabeth Myers, which would feature in Powys's 1951 edition of her letters.

On small square of laid paper. In fair condition, aged and worn, with loss to one corner from opening of the wafer, and tape staining to two edges. Received 19th June 1814 of Messrs. Snow & Co a Box of Jewells [sic] The Property of Lady Elizabeth Palk which was deposited with them about the latter End of June, last year - | Shaftesbury'.

Three interesting letters, intelligent, well-informed and affectionate, by a member of a leading Liberal family.

1p., 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged, laid down on part of a page from an album. Reads: 'Dear Teg. | Miss Elizabeth Philp has sent a batch of Songs of her own Company to the Queen. Will you kindly interest yourself to get them a notice?'

3pp., 16mo. Bifolium. On aged and foxed paper. He wishes to be informed 'whether the Forget Me Not" so long and ably edited by your Father will be published for the ensuing year - i.e. for 1848'. One of his daughters has 'written down Stories one or two of which have already appeared, and she would be very happy to avail herself of an opportunity of writing something' for the annual, so he asks him to 'ascertain whether your Father would like to insert a short Nouvellette [sic] to the extent of 4 to 5 pages'.

Four 16mo letters, three of them of one page, and the other of two pages. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. In a crabbed hand. One addressed to 'J T Smith Esqre | British Museum', and another to 'J T Smith Esqre | 22 Carmarthen Street | an answer'. Little more than short notes. In one letter to J. T. Smith she asks him for 'Mr Vance's address, for a married gentleman', in the other she tells him that 'Mrs Martin of Liverpool, whose intimate friends are yours also, [...] wishes to be indebted to your obliging attention'.

On 4.5 x 11 cm. slip of paper, cut from the end of a letter. In fair condition, lightly aged and ruckled. Good firm signature. Reads: 'Ever yours lovingly | E G Anderson'. At bottom right in another hand: '1874'. Fragment of letter on reverse: '[...] much better for his holyday [sic] & he sees Louie immensely improved. We are urging Alice to stand [...]'. The 'Alice' of the letter is her sister Alice (b.1842), and the 'Louie' her daughter Louisa (1873-1943), who would also become a doctor.

1p., 12mo. In fair condition, aged and lightly-creased. The letter begins: 'Four thousand thanks for the very kind manner in which you have given the notice of my dearest wife in your last number.' The notice will be extremely gratifying 'to her family and any of the many who loved her'. Mrs Planché was also a playwright, and is thought to have collaborated with her husband on a number of works.

1p., 12mo. On bifolium, addressed on reverse of second leaf to '- Ward Esqr. -'. In fair condition, on aged paper. The note reads: 'My dear Sir, | Presuming an old acquaintance, I request the favour of your presenting the enclosed to the Committee'.

343pp., 8vo, with sixteen-page publishers' catalogue at rear. Frontispiece and six full-page illustrations (one for each story). In blue cloth, with decorations in gilt on boards, and gilt titles on spine, all edges gilt, and attractive patterned endpapers. In fair condition, on aged paper, rebacked. Inscription on reverse of frontispiece reads: 'To Mary Charnock, | from the Author, | Mrs Rhoda E. White, | with every kindest wish.

3pp., 4to. In fair condition, on aged, worn and browned paper. Ada Chesterton worked with her brother-in-law while assistant editor of the 'New Witness'. Her admiration for his talents was fully reciprocated, G. K. Chesterton describing his sister-in-law as 'brilliant'. It begins: 'Very much has been written and said of G. K. C. the poet, the pamphleteer, the genius of paradox, who holds the attention of his listeners by his dazzling sleight of words. I am going to write of him from a different angle - G. K. C. the journalist as he is known and gauged in Fleet Street.

2pp., 12mo. Bifolium. With mourning border. In fair condition, on lightly aged and ruckled paper. Declining a dinner invitation and expressing regret at not being able to call, being 'very much occupied'.

2pp., 8vo. In fair condition, lightly aged. He writes that he will be 'most delighted to read the play under the auspices of the Dramatic Club'. He suggests a date, 'as being the farthest off & giving time generally', but if another is preferable, he 'can attend'. If Macgowan 'will fix the day and let know [sic] - (in case Monday is a bad day)', he will 'follow your decision'.

[2]p., 8vo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly-aged, disbound. Wolstenholme's letter, dated '63, FINBOROUGH ROAD, S.W., | February 15th, 1873.', on the recto of the first leaf; and the 'DIRECTIONS' on the recto of the second. The letter begins: 'The "Married Women's Property Act (1870) Amendment Bill" No. I, introduced by Mr. Hinde Palmer, stands as the first order of the day for Wednesday next, the 19th inst., and will, if it passes the second reading on that day, be put down for committee on Friday, the 21st inst.' No copy traced, either on COPAC or on OCLC WorldCat.

18 + [1]pp., 8vo. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn, no wraps, disbound. Authors named at end as: 'JOSEPHINE E. BUTLER, Liverpool. | ADA SMITH, (Factory Worker,) Nottingham. | ELIZABETH C. WOLSTENHOLME, Congleton. | DINAH GOODALL, (Factory Worker,) Leeds. | EMILIE A. VENTURI, London.' Apparently no copy on market currently.

[1] + 16pp., 8vo. In good condition, lightly-aged, no wraps, disbound. No copy of this proof on either COPAC or OCLC WorldCat. Three copies of the report on OCLC WorldCat, and none on COPAC or at the British Library.

2pp., 8vo. Handbill with drophead title, and the first page headed: 'Copies of this Leaflet, price 8d. per 100 post free, and of all other papers issued by the Committee, may be had from the Secretary, Mrs. WOLSTENHOLME ELMY, Congleton, Cheshire.' In good condition, lightly-aged, disbound. No copy on COPAC or at the British Library. One copy on OCLC Worldcat.

3pp., 8vo. Drophead title, followed by a list in two columns of names of 28 members of the Committee, including 'DR. PANKHURST' and 'MRS. PANKHURST', below which are names and addresses of treasurer and secretary. Text begins: 'Mr. J. HINDE PALMER, M.P., Q.C., will, immediately upon the meeting of Parliament on the 6th of January, re-introduce the Married Women's Property Acts Consolidation Bill, [...]'. The third page is headed 'WANTED, THREE HUNDRED POUNDS' and dated 'January, 1881.' Regarding an offer of £50 by 'Mr. R. B.

22pp., 8vo. Disbound, and with title-leaf loose, otherwise in good condition, lightly-aged. J. G. Shaw Lefevre, as well as Gregory, Lopez, O. Morgan, Staveley Hill, W. Fowler, W. S. J. Wheelhouse, P. H. Muntz, H. C. Raikes, and the Attorney General. Three copies on COPAC, and three on OCLC WorldCat. No copy currently on the market.

4pp., 8vo. Drophead title. In good condition, lightly-aged, disbound. No copy on COPAC, and the only copy on OCLC WorldCat at the National Library of Australia.

1p., on 20.5 x 8.5 cm slip, headed by the Prime Minister's official letterhead. Sayer's apology is headed 'Mrs Attlee', and she writes that she feels she 'must apologise in writing for the mistake I made over the arrangements for giving your two seats to the Misses Trevor', hoping that it did not cause inconvenience and promising not to do the like again. Violet Attlee's reply, headed 'Miss Sayer', is at the head of the letter: 'Please don't worry. It is quite a relief to me to find that somebody besides myself makes mistakes! | W H A 30/3'.

On one side of a small skin of vellum (circa 28 x 29 cm). In fair condition, aged and worn. In English, with signed Latin note on reverse by a notary public. Boundaries given. Scan on application.

Lascelles bought Lichfield House in 1729, and committed suicide there in 1753. The enormous success of Braddon's novels 'Lady Audley's Secret' (1862) and 'Aurora Floyd' (1863) allowed her to buy Lichfield House, where she too died. It was demolished in the 1930s. ONE: Manuscript indenture on vellum. 'Mrs. M. E. Maxwell to G. M. Maxwell Esq | Conveyance of freehold property known as "The Homestead" Sheen Road Richmond Surrey'. 10 June 1914. 4pp., 8vo, with covering page. Laid out in usual fashion, bound with green ribbon with tax stamps, Land Registry stamp, and two seals in red wax.

On both sides of a 33 x 12.5 cm strip of paper. In fair condition, lightly-aged, with tiny part of mount adhering to one corner, and the merest loss to another. 'Egerton Bry' is written in another small hand in light pencil at the head. The Osborn Collection at Yale possesses what its catalogue entry describes as a 'probably incomplete' section of the manuscript, ' purporting to be the memoirs of a certain John Fitznigel Clavering, whose career and interests bear a strong likeness to those of Brydges himself'. The Yale cataloguer is unaware that 'Clavering's Auto-Biography.

Chester Vale, a substantial estate of 1420 acres, paid taxes on 124 slaves in 1801. McLarty (d.1844) was Physician-General for Surrey (Jamaica), and several letters written by him from the island are in the National Library of Scotland, and are quoted in Alan L Karras's 'Sojourners in the Sun: Scottish Migrants in Jamaica and the Chesapeake, 1740-1800' (Cornell, 1992). In 1794 he acquired Chester Vale on his marriage to Elizabeth Susanna Breon, whose father Edmund Breon had died in 1792, leaving her the ward of the solicitor Thomas Cockburn.

2pp., 8vo. In very good condition, on lightly-aged paper. She apologises for not being able to be 'helpful on any of your questions'. She does not even possess a copy of her own 'Designing and Making Stage Costume'. 'I have no Motley designs at all, as every one which was in my possession has been sold to the University of Illinois, who have taken the whole collection of about 3000 swatches.' She is glad to hear that he has some of them, 'as it means that there are a few still in this country'.